Therapeutic traction device



Jan. 17, 1967 J c. RADFORD THERAPEUTIC TRACTION DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 20 INVENTOR.

JACK C. RADFORD l 57% 11/10 AT TO/PNE VS Jan. 17, 1967 J. c. RADFORD THERAPEUTIC TRACTION DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 20, 1963 INVENTOR. JACK C. RAD/ ORD A TTORNEVS United States Patent 3,298,364 THERAPEUTIC TRACTION DEVICE Jack C. Radford, 463 Wilde Ave., San Francisco, Calif. 94124 Filed Mar. 20, 1963, Set. No. 266,653 Claims. (Cl. 128-75) My invention relates to mechanism particularly for use in hospitals and homes or elsewhere for the treatment of patients who must undergo traction, particularly neck traction. While there are already available a number of mechanisms for use in exerting continuous pull on various portions of a patients anatomy, most of these are of considerable bulk, weight and complexity and are confining in that they limit severely the degree of movement the patient may undertake.

It is therefore an object of my invention to provide an improved therapeutic traction device.

Another object of the invention is to provide a therapeutic traction device in which the patient undergoing traction has a relatively large degree of freedom of motion.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a therapeutic traction device which is portable in itself and can be utilized quickly and easily in connection with a bed, particularly a bed of the hospital type.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a therapeutic traction device which is light, compact, easily manufactured and maintained and readily available for quick use.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a therapeutic traction device eifective to impose the desired amount of traction. but arranged so that a patient may quickly be disengaged, from the restraint of the device in emergencies.

Another object of the invention is to provide a traction device with a broad range of adjustment, particularly vertical adjustment. In. the accompanying drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of a therapeutic .traction device pursuant to the invention as it is employed in connection with neck traction on a patient;

FIGURE 2 is a front elevation of the upper portion of the mechanism shown in FIGURE 1, the plane of the view being illustrated by the lines 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the therapeutic traction device apart from a bed and complete except for portions of the head halter;

FIGURE 4 is a side elvation of a portion of the therapeutic traction device in a folded condition;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged detail showing a fastening structure, the view being in cross section, the plane of which is indicated by the line 5-5 of FIGURE 4; and

FIGURE 6 is a detail of a modified adjusting support yoke.

The therapeutic traction device of the invention can be incorporated in a number of different ways and can be arranged as a permanent attachment to a particular bed, but it is preferred to embody it as shown in FIGURE 1 for use with a regular bed 6 having a bedstead 7 including a frame and support member 8 on which the customary mattress 9 is disposed for use by a patient 11 lying in the bed.

Included in the traction device is an upright support yoke 13. This conveniently is a substantially closed loop of metal tubing having rounded corners and lying generally in an erect or upright position.

In order to secure the yoke in the appropriate upright position, there is also provided a base member 14 which is a partially closed loop of metal tubing having side arms 16 and 17 designed to extend longitudinally of the bed and having a cross bar 18 joining the side arms 16 and 17. The base member is variably attached to the upright yoke 13. Encircling each of the side bars 19 and 21 of the yoke 13 are friction clamps 22, as particularly illustrated in FIGURE 5. Each clamp includes a pair of slightly spaced springy side plates 23 and 24. The side plates are preferably perforated with noncircular apertures to receive a carriage bolt '26. When a wing nut 27 on the bolt 26 is tightened, the side plates 23 and 24 are approached and effectuate a tight clamping action of the member 22 at any vertical location along the yoke 13.

The base member 14 is'contoured to provide terminal tabs 28, each of which is pierced by a preferably circular aperture through which the bolt 26 is readily received. The terminal tab 28 and the plates 23 and 24 provide a packet which can be frictionally gripped together by the tightening of the wing nut 27. When the wing nut is slacked off, there is suflicient springiness in the plates 23 and 24 to allow freedom for pivotal motion between the terminal tab 28 and the plates 23 and 24. If the wing nut 27 is completely removed and the carriage bolt 26 is withdrawn, then the base member 14 and the yoke 13 can be completely disassembled. The relative pivotal movement between the base member and the yoke is useful in that, as shown in FIGURE 4, the parts can be compactly arranged for storage and can easily be put substantially in perpendicular relationship for use. Furthermore, the yoke 13 can be moved up and down to any desired location when the nuts 27 are loose so that, after tightening, the yoke 13 can be held at any desired height above the bed frame 8. The base member 14, being disposed between portions of the bed frame 8 and the mattress 9, is thereby held in position. The Weight of the patient also adds to the force holding the base frame in proper location so that in most instances no additional fastening or securing means is required. The base frame can readily be inserted into and withdrawn from position to adapt any bed to the use of the traction device.

Extending transversely between the side members 19 and 21 adjacent the upper end of the yoke 13 is a differential drum 36. This is a structure containing axle ends 37 and 38 well journalled in appropriate sockets 39 in the yoke 13. The differential drum is thus mounted for rotation about a transverse axis 41. The drum itself is inclusive of a central small diameter portion 42 and a pair of side portions 43 and 44 which are of larger diameter and are substantially symmetrical. At each end the large portions 43 and 44 have hubs 46 and 47 and at the junction of the larger ends with the smaller central portion there are conical portions 48 and 49.

Passing through appropriate passages 51 and 52 near the ends of the central portion are the enlarged terminals 53 and 54 of a primary cable 56. This is a flexible member preferably of nylon or even stainless steel or any material readily compatible with the material of the differential drum. Being fastened at its ends, the cable 56 is wound oppositely and symmetrically around the central portion of the drum to provide a central loop 57. Engaging the primary cable in the loop portion 57 thereof is a cable-engaging device 58 such as a low-friction pulley. This is mounted for rotation in a clip 59 secured by a through bolt 61 to a spreader bar 62. The spreader bar is symmetrically disposed and is of readily breakable material. At its opposite ends it is provided with hooks 63 and 64 to which any suitable sort of traction yoke 66 can be secured. In the present instance the yoke 66 is a head halter of the configuration shown and adapted to be worn by the patient 11.

To impose a traction force, the ends 67 and 68 of a secondary cable are wound around each of the larger end portions 43 and 44, being passed through appropriate openings 69 in the differential drum and provided with anchors 71. loop 72 supporting a soft, open-top container 73 for one or more relatively thin weights 74. The container and weights move vertically in the general plane of the yoke 13. The weights are made quite thin so that the amount of space occupied by the traction device is readily available between the mattress end and the upright frame of an ordinary bed. The number of weights is varied to afford the desired traction force. The amount of weight is roughly half what it would otherwise have to be were not force multiplication attained by the difference in diameters of the larger secondary portions of the differential drum and the smaller primary portions thereof.

As shown in FIGURE 6, the support yoke can be modified for vertical adjustment. Instead of being continuous, each of the side bars is made up of telescoping members 76 and 77. One of the members is provided with numerous perforations 78 to receive a lock pin 79 also passing through a suitable opening in the other member. The height of the top of the yoke can be set and held at any elevation selected.

In use, the weight of the patient assists in holding the mechanism in place while the weight continues to exert proper force upon the head halter. The angle at which the force is imposed is adjustable by moving the yoke 13 vertically in the clamps 22 or by setting the pins 79 to hold the desired vertical relationship or both. In the event of emergency, the patient can detach himself from the device because the spreader bar is readily breakable. Prior to that time and in general use, a considerable degree of freedom is available.

What is claimed is:

1. A therapeutic traction device comprising an upright support yoke, means engaging said support yoke for positioning said support yoke with respect to a bed, a differential drum having a central portion of one predetermined diameter and a pair of end portions of another predetermined different diameter, means for pivoting said differential drum in said support yoke for rotation with respect thereto, a spreader bar, means including a primary cable for connecting said spreader bar and said differential drum, means constituting connections between the two ends of said primary cable and one of said central portion or said end portions of said drum, means constituting a connection between the central portion of said primary cable and the central portion of said spreader bar, a weight, means including a secondary cable for connecting said weight and said differential drum, means con- The secondary cable provides a fastening stituting connections between the two ends of said secondary cable and the other of said end portions of said drum or said central portion, and means constituting a connection between the central portion of said secondary cable and said weight.

2. A device as in claim 1 in which said primary and secondary cables at their ends extend through passages in said differential drum.

3. A therapeutic traction device for use with a bed having a frame and on which a patient lies comprising an upright support yoke, a base member adapted to rest on said frame beneath said patient, means for mounting said support yoke on said base member to extend thereabove, a differential drum pivoted in said support yoke and having a central portion of small diameter and end portions of large diameter, a primary cable secured to said central portion at both ends and extending from said drum to form a loop, a spreader bar, a cable engaging device on said spreader bar and engaging said primary cable in said loop, a traction halter secured to said spreader bar, a secondary cable secured to said end portions and depending therefrom, and a weight secured to said depending secondary cable.

4. A device as in claim 1 in which said weight is enclosed in a container having an opening to admit of the passage of said weight.

5. A device as in claim 1 in which said support yoke and said base member are interconnected by adjustable friction devices.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 806,401 1/1905 Dawson 254-184 2,714,885 8/1955 Uhland 128-75 2,808,051 10/1957 Martin 128-84.4 2,830,581 4/1958 Sanders 12875 2,909,175 10/1959 Kinnear 12884 3,009,461 11/1961 Collins 128-75 X 3,060,929 10/1962 Zivi 12875 3,063,445 11/1962 Ries 12875 3,085,768 4/ 1963 Treutelaar 12875 3,086,519 4/1963 Pari 12875 3,117,572 1/1964 Wright 12875 FOREIGN PATENTS 570,228 4/ 1924 France.

RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner. J. W. HINEY, JR., Assistant Examiner, 

1. A THERAPEUTIC TRACTION DEVICE COMPRISING AN UPRIGHT SUPPORT YOKE, MEANS ENGAGING SAID SUPPORT YOKE FOR POSITIONING SAID SUPPORT YOKE WITH RESPECT TO A BED, A DIFFERENTIAL DRUM HAVING A CENTRAL PORTION OF ONE PREDETERMINED DIAMETER AND A PAIR OF END PORTIONS OF ANOTHER PREDETERMINED DIFFERENT DIAMETER, MEANS FOR PIVOTING SAID DIFFERENTIAL DRUM IN SAID SUPPORT YOKE FOR ROTATION WITH RESPECT THERETO, A SPREADER BAR, MEANS INCLUDING A PRIMARY CABLE FOR CONNECTING SAID SPREADER BAR AND SAID DIFFERENTIAL DRUM, MEANS CONSTITUTING CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THE TWO ENDS OF SAID PRIMARY CABLE AND ONE OF SAID CENTRAL PORTION OR SAID END PORTIONS OF SAID DRUM, MEANS CONSTITUTING A CONNECTION BETWEEN THE CENTRAL PORTION OF SAID PRIMARY CABLE AND THE CENTRAL PORTION OF SAID SPREADER BAR, A WEIGHT, MEANS INCLUDING A SECONDARY CABLE FOR CONNECTING SAID WEIGHT AND SAID DIFFERENTIAL DRUM, MEANS CONSTITUTING CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THE TWO ENDS OF SAID SECONDARY CABLE AND THE OTHER OF SAID END PORTIONS OF SAID DRUM OR SAID CENTRAL PORTION, AND MEANS CONSTITUTING A CONNECTION BETWEEN THE CENTRAL PORTION OF SAID SECONDARY CABLE AND SAID WEIGHT. 